Influence of chlorhexidine mouthwashes on air contamination of dental offices

Abstract

Objective: It was evaluated the influence of pre-procedural rinse with mouthwash with chlorhexidine (0.12%) on the degree of air contamination in a dental clinic. Methods: The sample consisted of 21 patients with periodontal disease were randomly divided into three groups: pre-procedural mouthwash Absence (Control); pre-procedural rinse mouthwash with distilled water (Water) and pre-procedural rinse with mouthwash with chlorhexidine base 0.12% (Chlorhexidine). It was conducted basic periodontal treatment using ultrassonic device. The microbial load generated during the service was captured by sedimentation plates with half Agar Blood culture (AS), exposed for a time of 10 minutes. The boards remained in an oven at 37°C for 48h. It held the count of colony forming units (cfu/cm²). Results: By applying Kruskal-Wallis test, there was a statistically significant difference between groups. Dunn's test for multiple comparisons revealed that the Control group average showed a statistically significant difference compared to the others. Conclusion: Prior mouthwash dental care (chlorhexidine-based 0.12% and distilled water) influenced air contamination, being effective in reducing the amount of microorganisms present in the aerosol generated by dental procedures with ultrasonic device. Clinical relevance: Proven spread of contaminants in the air through aerosols and their reduction with the prior mouthwash dental care, it is suggested that this measure is routinely adopted to reduce the risk of cross-infection.